Can I report sick in menstrual problems?

Dilemma

« I regularly suffer from my period and last night I couldn’t sleep half night with pain. Can I start working a little later? »

Woman (26), Name known to the editors.

Yes, that is allowed

People who menstruate can experience major complaints of this. The Radboud University of Nijmegen interviewed 42,000 of them in 2019. Approximately 40 percent of the respondents said that it was impeded during menstruation in their daily activities.

« It must be possible to make agreements about this on your work, » says FNV trade union administrator for women Lisa Viktorsson. According to the trade union, an inclusive workplace means that the workplace must be accessible to people who menstruate. « As an employer you can take care of this by making menstrual products available in the workplace, but also by giving employees the opportunity to give adjusted working hours or work. Think of: indeed start later, or do sitting work instead of standing. »

In the CLA of the Dutch Railways, it was agreed in 2022 that women can let their supervisor know if they have menstrual or transition-related complaints. « Together they look for possible adjustments in working hours or activities, » says NS personnel planner Silvana Francken, who was in the CAO Committee on behalf of FNV Spoor.

Lokettoists on train stations normally have four hours sitting and four hours standing, but can do their menstruation while sitting on the entire working day on the days that they suffer from their menstruation. « Or if you work on the train and have a regular cycle and know that you sleep poorly because of that, you can ask in advance to work during the menstrual evening shifts. » Since 2022, the FNV made agreements about working with menstrual problems in 28 of the nearly 670 collective agreements.

Among other things in Spain menstruating people can use an unlimited number of days of paid menstrual leave. In practice it appears that, since the introduction of the law in 2023, there is hardly any use of this. Japan and Zambia also have a menstrual leave. That is not necessary in the Netherlands, says Viktorsson. « Here the system is set up in such a way that you can simply report sick if you are unable to work because of menstrual problems. »

Our grandmothers could do another tukkie in the afternoon if they suffered from menstrual pain

Sometimes reporting sickly through menstrual problems does lead to problems. « For some collective agreements, on the first day that you are sick, only 70 percent of the wage will be paid, » says Viktorsson. For people who are structurally bothered by their period, according to the FNV, that can therefore have an immediate effect on their income.

That is why, according to Viktorssson, it is important to break the taboo on menstruation. Almost three -quarters of the menstruating people withheld that they report sick through menstrual problems, according to one Survey of Online Platform Spot On of KRO-NCRV Among 1765 respondents between 16 and 34. « Many employers may not know why an employee is sick every month, and therefore do not have the opportunity to think along with the person with a solution, » says Viktorsson.

Go to a doctor

« A menstrual leave like in Spain is of course sympathetic, but would be much better to remedy the cause of serious menstrual problems, » says gynecologist at the Jeroen Bosch Hospital in ‘s Hertogenbosch Mieke Kerkhof. Little is known about many so -called female -specific disorders, such as endometriosis, pelvic floor problems or hormone -related disorders. The Dutch Association for Obstetrics and Gynecology (NVOG) therefore tries to get more attention and money for scientific research. Kerkhof: « So that we can investigate those disorders so well that a menstrual leave in the future is not necessary at all. »

According to NVOG, every woman has to deal with one or more female -specific disorders during her life. In 2023, the Netherlands had around 3.6 million women of fertile age (18 to 40). Between 5 and 15 percent Of them suffer from cycle disorders and cycle -related abdominal pain, according to the NVOG. In the Netherlands, around 180,000 to 540,000 people suffer from endometriosis, a condition that causes serious abdominal cramps. The costs for health care and due to absenteeism at work because of these disorders rise to the billions, according to the NVOG.

« Our grandmothers used to be able to do a tukkie at noon if they were felled by menstrual pain, » says Kerkhof. But nowadays many more women work and can’t just do that. « Women who suffer a lot from their menstruation should not keep walking around with it. They just have to come to us: many complaints can be remedied. Employers must also be lenient, have compassion and listen to what employees need. »

Nurses from the Jeroen Bosch Hospital would rather not wear any more white pants because it is stressful on days that they menstruate, while that is now the mandatory color of their work clothing. This was reflected in a survey that gynecologist Malou Herman did early this year among all the employees of the hospital. « If you suffer from a woman -specific condition, what do you need at work? » Was the key question. Now we look at whether we can get work clothes in a different color in the future.  »

So

Talk to your boss. Remember that you are not the only one with this complaint. But also know that you don’t always have to walk around with these complaints. And that a doctor can help you. Perhaps even better if there is some extra money for scientific research.

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